Aerial transportation system



G. F. MoBEE. AERIAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED PEBJ, 1912.

Patented June 3, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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Wifness es. Invenfor fl Charles R MBee. By Aty- COLUMBIA PLANOGRA'PH COUWASHXNGTON, n. c.

. G. F. MUBEE. AERIAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. APPLICATION TILED IEB.1, 1912.

Patented June 3, 1913.

2 SHEETSSKEET 2| Fig HI If /Z 20 M/ H/ W1 1132556 5 Invepfol Charles F. M -Bee.

UNITED STATES CHARLES F. MCBEE,

0F ATHENS, OHIO.

AERIAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

Application filed February 1, 1912.

Specification of:Letters Patent.

Patented June 3, 1913. Serial No. 674,733.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. MGBEE, a citizen of the United States, residing in Athens, county of Athens, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Aerial Transportation Systems, of which the following is a specificatio-n.

My invention relates to aerial navigation and has for its object the providing of certain construction which will permit the air body to operate independently yet to be surrounded with such safeguards as to adapt aeroplanes, air ships, flying machines, and the like, to practical purposes for conveying passengers, freight, etc.

I attain my object by the construction of an elevated wire guide way, stationary with the ground, in combination with guide arms which extend from, and are stationary with, the aerial device, the relation between the guide arms and guide way being such that during the flight ofthe aerial device it runs over the guide way but the guide arms do not come in contact with the guide way unless the aerial device swerves too far to one side or in some other manner endeavors to go too far in any direction from the guide Way. The construction is also such that the aerial device cannot, unless the operator so desires, leave the guide way thus making it practically impossible for the aerial device to turn turtle or become wrecked by falling to the ground. The relation between the guide Way and the guide arms is such as to provide a limitation for the free movement of the aerial device, upward, downward, sidewise, or in any direction at any angle.

My invention consists of certain details of construction hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure I shows a side elevation of my improved aerial device and the wire guide way I employ; Fig. II shows a rear elevation view of the same; and Fig. III shows a perspective view of the same.

Referring to the accompanying drawings the reference numeral 10 is used to indicate the post or standard I employ to support my wire guide way, a series of said posts being rigidly set into the ground, preferably in cement or concrete bases, along the right of way. At or near the upper extremity of each post I have secured a cross arm 11, extending equal distances from each side of the post at right angles to right of way. On each end of the cross arm I have mounted, vertically, a cross piece, 12 and 13 respectively, the ends of the same extending, preferably, equal distances, upward and downward, from their respective ends of the cross arm.

My wire guide way is, preferably, composed of four wires 14, 15, 16 and 17, respectively, which are secured to their respective ends of the cross pieces 12 and 13, at each post. Obviously this construction will produce a guide way of four parallel wires arranged in rectangular form.

The numeral 18 is used to indicate my aerial device, which may be an aeroplane, air ship, motor or air driven machine, or any heavier than air machine designed for aerial navigation. Depending centrally from the aerial device is a car, or body of any desired construction, 19, designed for seating passengers, storing freight, express packages, mail, or the like. The said car body may be loosely suspended, for independent move ment, or rigidly secured to the aerial device, as desired.

Rigidly secured to the aerial device, and depending therefrom, are two brackets, 20 and 21 respectively, one near the forward part of the aerial device and the other near the rear thereof, said brackets being exactly similar in every respect. In cross section the brackets have the appearance of an H, executed in double lines the lower part of the cross bar being omitted, as is clearly shown in Fig. II.

The two brackets are rigidly secured to each other by crossing securing rods, or in any other desired manner, and are also braced so as to make their positions fixed and permanent not only with relation to each other but with relation to the aerial device.

The brackets, constructed as shown, are designed to encircle, or fitover, the four guide wires, but, by construction the brackets are so much larger than would be re quired to embrace within them the guide wires, much play and freedom of the aerial device will be permitted. The construction is also such that the cross bar, or wire, be tween the vertical members forming the bracket cannot possibly come into contact with the upper extremity of the posts 10 by reason of the fact that the upper wires of the guide way would first engage the upper surfaces of the vertical members of the brackets and operate as a track on which the aerial device would travel, or rest. The object of omitting the lower cross wire, or. bar,

between the vertical members of the brackets is to remove obstructions so the aerial device may travel past the cross arms of the posts. I have also provided my brackets with rollers at all points which might, at times, come into. contact with the guide wires, the object of this being obvious, but these rollers may be omitted, it desired.

By. the construction hereinbeforeset forth it isobvious that the guide way I employ is not designed; as a track. over WhiChz the aerial device is designed to travel, but is simply designed as a guide and safety device which isnecessany and-comes into use'only at such times as the aerial device may attempt to fly too high, too low, or to swerve to one side or the other-,and at such times as the device may be-bnought toia stop. It is equally obvious that an, aerial device fitted out in the above manner cannot become wrecked by failure-0t power, turn-ingturtle or the like.

The: construction of the brackets. or the mounting thereof, or-the construction of the posts and guide wires, may be changed, or the-number-of guide wires I employ may be reduced or increased, without changing my invention! which, has: for its object the constructing: ot. a: guide wire way and safety guards, toencincle same, which. will permit 0i free and. uninterrupted passage of an 1 aerial device traveling in the air and not on a, track but which cannot leave the guide wire-way andifiall to the ground.

Having thus described my invention what I claim. anddesireto secure by; Letters Pat ent of the-United; States is 1'. An aerial transportation. system comprising an elevated wire guide way; a free moving. self propelled aerial device; guards rigidly. secured to the aerial device, said guards extending outside the wire guide way and extending inwardly around same but not coming into contact therewith except at intenvalasubstantially as shown and escribed.

2. aerial transportation system comprising,-

elevated: wire guide way con structed of a pair of upper and a pair of lower,; parallel: wires, mountedl on standards setin the groundi; an aerial device; guards secured to the-aerial device dependingfthere. from; outside; the two sets of wines the upper and; IDWBI: poutiunsof. said; guards extending nwardly. and. toward each other so: as. to partiallyeneinele theinrespective wires but not to come into. contact," therewith except at intervals, substantially. asshown: and; de-. scribed;

3. In; an-aerialitranspontation system. comprising. memoving: aerial device andzwi re guide Way, guards depending from theaerial device, said guards so constructed as to resemble a. double lined letter H the lower 'cross bar being omitted, substantially as shown. anddescribed.

d. In an aerial transportation system an ,elevated wire guide way constructed of four parallel wires, two above and two below, mounted oncross arms of centrally located standards set in the ground; an aerial device provided with guards designed to depend outside their respective wires the upper part of: the guards being projected inwardly and thence downwardly to partially surround their respective upper wires and the lower 1 portions of said; guards projecting inwardly 5 and thence upwardly to partially surroundtheir respective lower wires, the distance-between the inner ends of each guandibeing-less ,than the distance between: the upper and; {lower wiresof their respective sides of the guide way, substantially as shown and. described.

5. An aerial transportation system com- ;prisingan elevated guide way constructed of a plurality ofparallel. stri. s, some above and some below; anaerial. device; guards depending from the aerial device andl die signed: to partially surround the guide way but not to. come into contact therewith exgcept at intervals; rollers mounted! on: the guards at all points thereonwhich may come I into contact with the guide Way, substan gtially as. shown and described.

6. In an aeriali railway, a track, an airship adapted for travel on said track andin. elevated relation thereto, said air-ship-bein {provided with hearingmembers arrange a ifor engagement with. said track tosupport isaid air ship for effectin the elevation of gt-he latter from said trac and a retaining Zited vertical movement of'the same with re-- gspeet to said track.

7, In an aerial railway, a track, an airship, provided with hearing members arranged- ;for.= engagement with said track to support isaid airship for travel thereon, and means iforguiding said air ship vertically withre 'gspect: to said track;

fprovidedv with: hearing members arranged ifcr engagement with: said track: tosupport i-saidi airship. for travel: thereon, means for guiding said airship verticallywith respect to said track, and means for limiting verti'cal movementofi said airship. V

9; In aerial; railway, a track, an. airtravel on said track, guides depending'from said airship on opposite sidesof said track, andibearing members on said guides projecting beneath-said track for engagement there with, said. last named bearing members hezsaide air ship for travel thereon, a planeon fimeans on said: air ship permitting of alim- 8. In an aerial railway, a track, an: airship ship,- bearing members on said ship .ing: spaced from: sa d first named bearing members to permit of the latter traveling in an elevated position with respect to said track.

10. In an aerial railway, a track, an airship provided with upper and lower bearing members arranged for engagement with said track to thereby limit vertical movement of the airship, and depending rigid guides on said airship projecting on opposite sides of said truck.

11. In an aerial railway, a track comprising a pair of rails and underlying guides, an airship, depending rigid guide members on said airship projecting 0n opposite sides of and below said track, and upper and lower bearing members on said guide members arranged respectively above and below said track with the said lower bearing members spaced from the guides of said track to engage the same when the airship is in flight.

CHARLES F. MOBEE.

lVitnesses EDITH MoBEE, HARRY B. MCBEE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington. D. G. 

